Creamy Chocolate Plant-based Ice Cream
A simple plant-based chocolate ice cream dessert featuring dates, cashews, oats, and rich cocoa powder. This luxuriously creamy frozen treat may taste decadent, but it’s secretly super healthy!
Equipment
- high-speed blender or food processor
- ice cream maker or freezer
Ingredients
- 1 cup dates* pits removed, soaked in 1 cup hot water for 30 minutes
- ¼ cup rolled oats soaked with dates (above)
- 1 cup raw cashews soaked in hot water for at least 30 minutes
- 1½ cups Oat + Nut Milk or other plant milk
- ½ cup maple syrup
- ⅓ cup cacao or cocoa powder
- 2 Tbsp vanilla
- dash of salt optional
Instructions
To make the chocolate custard.
- In a small bowl, combine 1 cup pitted dates and ¼ cup rolled oats, cover with 1 cup boiling water. Allow to soak for at least 30 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, cover 1 cup raw cashews with boiling water, and allow to soak for at least 30 minutes. Drain the water from the soaked cashews and rinse well.
- In a Vitamix or high-speed blender, combine the dates and oats with soaking water, drained soaked cashews, plant milk, maple syrup, cocoa powder, vanilla, and salt (if using).
- Blend until very smooth, hot, and creamy – about 4-5 minutes. You’ll know it’s ready when it’s thick enough to coat the back of your spoon or spatula.
- If your blender isn’t powerful enough to heat/thicken your mixture, pour the ice cream base into a saucepan and heat on medium heat, stirring occasionally, until it thickens enough to coat the back of your spoon or spatula, about 5-10 minutes, depending on the temperature of your ingredients, the level of flame/heat on your stove, and the conductivity of your saucepan.
- Place the covered blender (or transfer to a glass container) and store in the refrigerator until completely chilled, about 2 hours.
To make the ice cream.
- If you have an ice cream maker, *** plug in your ice cream maker and turn it on.
- Pour the cooled chocolate custard into the frozen insert and place the lid on top (or follow your machine’s directions) to begin creating your Chocolate Ice Cream. See notes*** below if you do not have an ice cream maker.
- Once the ice cream maker begins to sound sluggish (30-40 minutes), add in any optional mix-ins, if any. Allow it to mix for about 1 minute.
- You have achieved soft-serve chocolate ice cream! You can enjoy your ice cream now or transfer it to the freezer for 1-2 hours to firm it up more. If you leave your ice cream in the freezer too long and becomes too hard, simply place it on the counter for 10-15 minutes until you can scoop it out.
- Enjoy your chocolate ice cream as is or dress it up with your favorite ice cream toppings.
Notes
* I like using a combination of dates and maple syrup in this delicious chocolate ice cream recipe. But you can use any other sweetener, including agave or sugar. You can increase the amount of maple syrup, if you prefer your ice cream sweeter.
** I use raw cashews because they are neutral in this ice cream. Use whatever raw nuts you prefer or have on hand.
*** No ice cream maker? No problem!
- Option 1: Pour the liquid ice cream base into ice cube trays and freeze until almost frozen, but not rock hard, about 2 hours. Then use a high-speed blender to blend until smooth. You may need to add a splash of milk and the tamper to help it along.
- Option 2: Pour into a freezer-safe container, cover, and place in the freezer. Stir every thirty minutes or so until it gets hard enough to scoop out for ice cream. Enjoy!
Some Fun Mix-in Options: chocolate chips, sprinkles, cookie dough, crushed Oreos, chopped walnuts, mini marshmallows (rocky road???)….
Some of my Favorite Toppings: nuts, sliced bananas, strawberries, raspberries, chocolate chips, shaved coconut, granola, sprinkles, non-dairy whipped cream….